


The new chapter of our life

by Rey_Bee



Series: For the love of the Uchiha [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Uchiha Itachi, Childbirth, Childhood, Children, Desperation, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Good Uchiha Itachi, Hurt, I'm Sorry, Kid Uchiha Itachi, Kid Uchiha Sasuke, Love, Loving Marriage, Marriage, Married Couple, Married Life, Parent-Child Relationship, Regret, Uchiha Clan-centric, Uchiha Massacre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:15:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24344869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rey_Bee/pseuds/Rey_Bee
Summary: When Fugaku gets the message about his wife giving birth to their first child, he doesn't waste a second. FugaMiko and little Itachi! Update: I decided to turn it into a series of one-shots about the development of father/son relatinship, with quite a big role of Mikoto in the story. Fugaku's POV.
Relationships: Uchiha Fugaku & Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Fugaku & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Itachi & Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Mikoto & Uchiha Sasuke
Series: For the love of the Uchiha [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1754959
Comments: 6
Kudos: 55





	1. Light in the darkness of the world

* * *

Branches of tall old trees were bending under the pressure of a shinobi moving in an amazing speed which resembled _shunshin_. A man, tired and sweaty, was jumping from one tree to another, doing his best to reach his destination as fast as possible. No one accompanied him. He was looking straight ahead, his face stern and dark, ready to scare anyone who would dare to interrupt him on his path.

Uchiha Fugaku was in rush. He was coming back home in the most stupid way he could imagine. In the middle of the war, he left the battlefield and directed his steps straight to Konoha – all alone, exposed to any kind of danger that the Leaf's enemies constituted at the moment. Considering that he achieved his jounin rank a couple of years prior, that he kept in his own hand the Police Force of Konohagakure and that he was _the_ Uchiha Fugaku, the soon-to-be Uchiha clanhead… Well. He should have known better than to run off on his own.

But for once, he decided to abandon his ever-so-rational manner. Just this time he couldn't wait any longer. And when he got the permission to leave, he did. Now he was holding a letter from the Hokage in his clenched fist, thinking only about one thing.

Uchiha Mikoto, his beloved, young, perfect wife has been pregnant until a week prior. She gave birth to a healthy child, who came to the world on a summer day June the 9th. The day Fugaku was killing mercilessly, depriving innocent children of their beloved parents, siblings, grandparents… The very day a new life started. A very special one.

He became a father. And he was rushing like crazy to see his seven-days-old legacy.

* * *

A tiny fist of a newborn child was clenching lightly around his index finger. A little bundle of peace and innocence lay in the crib in front of him, and he was kneeling just next to the little bed in which a child, pale and dark-haired, was sleeping quietly. Fugaku hasn't seen these big eyes open just yet. The child was already asleep a couple of minutes earlier when he get into the room.

He didn't ask anybody for permission. He entered his own house, encountered his mother taking an afternoon nap in the leaving room and then directed his steps to his bedroom, where he found the most beautiful sight he's ever seen. He slipped his finger into a tiny fist, feeling an unknown until now rush of tenderness and fondness towards the precious little human lying in the crib.

With a face of a curios child, he observed the little body moving in breathing rhythm, inhaling and exhaling quickly, quicker than an adult. He was devouring the sight before him, unaware that his sharingan activated the moment he arrived to the house. The image would get imprinted into his memory for the rest of his life and gods, Fugaku wanted it and only it at the moment. To never forget such a beautiful sight.

He hardly registered a sound of steps, too busy with all the thoughts that were bombarding his mind. But he felt a hand on his shoulder and soon after a pair of arms surrounded his middle section. He touched two warm palms with his free rugged hand, but didn't manage to look over his arm. It would destroy the moment of happiness that absorbed him.

"You came" he heard a whisper, when somebody hugged firmly to his shoulder. He closed his eyes and turned around, only to see Mikoto's peaceful smile. She raised on her knees and moved closer to him, leaning forward with no restraints. She gave him an affectionate kiss which he returned instantly.

"I'm dirty" he breathed out, when they parted for a second.

"Of course you are" she chuckled. "You just came from the battlefield" and she hugged to him again.

She was the only one who was allowed to do this. There was no one else who could ever force him into showing any kind of affection. But she was his wife, the best wife in all existing worlds and she could do whatever she wanted.

"How do you feel?" he asked after a while, playing with her loose hair.

"The delivery wasn't hard" she stated softly. "I don't know why everybody is this scared of it."

"You could have died. Potentially" he remarked.

"You think that low of me?"

"I think very high of you, and you know I do."

She knew. Of course she did.

"When did you get the message?" she asked.

"Ten hours ago."

"You must have run like insane if you're already here" she smirked lightly. "So? How do you like your firstborn?" she reached to the crib and covered the sleeping child with the blanket meticulously.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" he asked softly.

"You don't know? That Minato… he promised he would tell the Hokage to inform you" she sighed. "You have a heir, dear husband. The future of the Uchiha Clan is right before your eyes."

"I wish the clan future was as peaceful as he is" he whispered, extending his hand towards his son. He ruffed his hair with his finger, amazed by its softness. "He's perfect."

"I really hope he isn't" Mikoto mumbled.

"Why so?"

"I want him to be happy. I want him to have a peaceful life. To be free of wars and suffering of the cruel world we're living in. I want him to make his own decisions. To be something more than just the Uchiha heir."

"He's one week old, Mikoto" Fugaku chuckled. "You don't have to bother yourself with things like these just yet."

"I can remember what you told me about your childhood" she murmured. "I want my own son to be something more than just a clan tool."

"I won't let him exist for the clan only" he pulled her closer and kissed her hair. "He will be our child and we will make him happy. But he cannot run away from his destiny. He will become my successor and I will make sure he will be ready for it. But I'm certainly not going to repeat my grandfather's mistakes" he added darkly, narrowing his eyes for a moment.

"I wouldn't let you."

"I hope you wouldn't" he nodded slowly with his eyes on his child once again. "Can I…"

"Hold him?"

"Yes."

"You are dirty."

"Please, Mikoto."

She looked into his eyes and just then she understood she wouldn't refuse his request.

The little bundle was put into his arms a moment later. A beautiful scene appeared in front of her: the first meeting of a father with his child. Fugaku was unnaturally careful with every move he was making, determined not to hurt the little boy in any way. He kept him close to his torso, caressing his little head and looking at him with a love reserved only for his wife – until now. A new chapter of their life began and oh world, he hoped that this chapter would be the better one.

"What is his name?" he asked quietly. "Did you choose already?"

"It's you firstborn, and a boy, anata. You should be the one to choose."

"I didn't spend my free time on the front trying to find a name for my coming child" he mumbled, poking a little ear. "I will not invent one now in a hurry. The tradition doesn't know a case of a fresh father occupied with war and it expects me to name my firstborn, but I don't have an idea. But, I know you do" he sent her a calm look. "So what is your choice?"

She observed him for a moment with a contemplating look and then sent him a peaceful smile he knew already too well.

"Itachi" she whispered, caressing the boy's cheek. "In fact I can't stop calling him by this name in my head."

She let him pull her closer and there they were: all three of them together, sitting on tatami mats in the master bedroom of the Uchiha household. A new family, and the future of the Uchiha Clan in their arms, sleeping peacefully.

A perfect family, indeed.


	2. Fulfilled hope

* * *

The tiredness was overwhelming, yet some kind of power was still pushing him forward towards the main Uchiha household. It also made him nod to his clansmen who were greeting him with smiles and respect when he walked through the Uchiha district. He even managed a couple of half-smiles for small children, accompanying their mothers in everyday errands, who were eyeing him hesitantly. One of the children, around eight years old judging for his appearance, even bumped into him with full speed. He looked up at him with big frightened eyes, stood up almost immediately and stuttered apologies with a polite bow. Fugaku hardly managed to squeeze his thin arm before the boy was gone. It took him a minute to recall that the child's name was Shisui and he was one of those prodigious children of his clan. He chuckled lightly. Talented or not, he had a long way to go if a simple face of a clan leader made him this insecure. But he heard a lot about him and he knew that Shisui had a great potential within him… It's a pity that his father was such a foolish old elder. A life with such a man as a parent had to be hard to bear, especially with a mother already deceased, and Fugaku, slightly surprised by his own ability to think so clearly in a state he was in, promised himself that he would check on the boy before heading back to the battlefield.

The sun has almost already hide behind the horizon line when he opened the large door of the household. With a mental sigh, he sat down and took off his dirty shoes, trying not to soil the entering area. He stood up slowly and, as quietly as he could, headed straight to the bathroom. He cleaned himself in a couple of minutes and left his dirty clothes next to the clothes bin, put a yukata on and directed his steps towards the master bedroom. His trained ears caught a sound of laughing and he couldn't help a little smile crawling on his lips. He changed in light, comfortable (and clean) clothes and, finally ready, left the room and headed to the garden. He wasn't suppressing his steps anymore.

He saw her before he got to the porch. She was sitting at the edge of the wooden terrace, watching the garden with a soft smile on her lips. She didn't move of an inch when he crouched and sat down just next to her, closing her hand in his own and squeezing it firmly. She blinked apprehensively and slowly reached with her free hand for a small cup to pour some tea from the teapot into it. She handed it to him smoothly and he accepted it without a word.

Only when he gave her the empty cup did she smile a little wider. And he, he leaned forward towards her and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. He felt a hand caressing his cheek for a moment. And suddenly they were once again sitting just next to each other, holding their hands behind their backs. Observing.

A young boy who was crouching in the corner of the garden straightened his back abruptly. He sent a look over his shoulder and blinked at them, uncertain of what he saw. He lifted from the grass and, sparing a nervous look at his mother, moved towards the terrace. He reached towards his mother with one hand and squeezed a fabric of her skirt with his fingers, biting his lower lip with visible unease. The women ruffed his hair softly and half-hugged him with her free arm.

"Itachi, look who has come back home" she whispered with a calm smile. Itachi blinked and leaned closer to her, a little abashed. "What will you say? Hm?" she chuckled lightly when the boy clenched his small hands around her arm that was holding him. "Oh, you little coward" she sighed amused. "Greet your father nicely."

"Okaeri, tou-san" Itachi mumbled, leaning against his mother.

"Tadaima" Fugaku managed a little smile, trying to hide the sadness that was embracing him more and more with every passing second. It wasn't the first time when he hoped for a smile as a greeting from his little son and didn't obtain it. There was only this hesitancy that emerged from Itachi's eyes every single time he came back home. This irritating lack of recognition. His heart ached at the sight of his beloved child who eyed him with an unsure questioning.

It was always the same. Every single time. He registered Mikoto's hand squeezing his own fiercely to give him the power to deal with the disappointment. She understood. She noticed. She always did.

"All right, then" she sighed with a smile. "It's getting late, isn't it, Itachi? And we haven't eaten yet today" she hugged him once again and kissed him on his head. "I am going to prepare everything and by the time I'm finished, you stay with tou-san. He missed you so much, you know? Maybe you could tell him about the kitten you rescued from the lake yesterday, how is that?" and she stood up, not waiting for the boy's answer, and disappeared inside the house. Itachi looked at the door she closed behind her for a moment. Then, his eyes slowly travelled to the man who was looking at him peacefully.

"I rescued a cat" he said suddenly but quietly, his eyes not moving of an inch.

"Did you?" Fugaku mumbled, took off guard for a second. He didn't expect that Itachi would open his mouth first.

"He was little and he was drowning. I helped him. With mommy."

"Is he alright now?" he decided to continue the topic.

"I don't know" Itachi looked away. "He ran away from us when I put him on the grass. But mommy says he is OK, because if he wasn't, he wouldn't be running so fast."

"Your mother is right" he nodded and waited for the boy to say something more, but no words came out. Fugaku's mind was racing in every direction to find something he could say to him, when he registered Itachi climbing up to the porch and sitting quite near him on the wooden floor.

"Will you go away to the war again, tou-san?" Itachi asked hesitantly.

"I will" he answered after a moment. "But for now, I will be at home for the next week."

"A week?"

"Hn."

"And what will you do when you're here?"

"I…" he paused, trying to find a satisfying reply. "I will spend time with you and your mother. I will also see some people and talk to them, as I was gone for a long time and some issues demand my attention."

"And after this week… you will be gone again" the boy concluded uncertainly. And this very _again_ that came out from Itachi's mouth finally made him realized something.

"Do you remember the last time I came back?" he asked slowly.

"Yes… But it was a long time ago."

 _Three months_ Fugaku thought. It has been three months that passed in a blink of an eye. But for Itachi, it was an eternity. But… he _did_ remember him. He did.

"Mommy said yesterday that you'd be back" he mumbled again. "She said…"

"What did she said?" he pushed a little, because Itachi didn't seem ready to continue. Suddenly, he stood up and ran into the house without a word. Fugaku closed his eyes and sighed with surrender. The next week… was going to be a series of realizations. Realizations just how much his own son didn't know him. Honestly, Fugaku didn't blame Itachi: he spent the last eighteen months mostly away from the village. Itachi couldn't know him because he was simply seeing him too seldom. And the truth was that Fugaku didn't know his son either. How could he? A week-long vacation he was being given wasn't enough to get to know his child.

He stood up and entered the dark room, rubbing his eyes. The exhaustion was taking over him faster than before. He wasn't even hungry anymore. All he wanted to do was lie down to bed and fall asleep as fast as possible, leaving all his problems for later. But he has just came back after three months long absence and he knew Mikoto would be happy if he sat at the table with them. Thus, he directed his steps to the kitchen.

Suddenly, something bumped into him (for the second time this day) and he instinctively caught the small tottering body. A pair of big, black eyes met his own severe ones and in the weak light coming from the kitchen he recognized his son who was now looking at him intensely, tugging his trousers to make him crouch on the floor. He kneeled down and looked straight into those big eyes from the boy's level.

"Dad, look! I draw a picture for you" Fugaku froze, when he felt a small hand on his shoulder. A second later, it was already a thin arm put around his neck and a small body leaning against his own. A sheet of paper suddenly appeared in front of his eyes. "It's our family portrait. Look, here is mom, me and here are you, with us. And I wanted to draw you with a sword, because mom says you always fight with a sword, but then I didn't draw it because you fight only when you are away and this picture is when you are with us at home. And here is our home and mom's garden and roses. And we're happy, because we're together at home, and the war isn't happening, because mom says that when the war ends, you'll be back home forever. And this is when the war ends and you don't leave anymore."

He felt the boy's eyes on himself, but didn't spare him a look, focused on the hardly visible drawing. He saw three people and a house that Itachi described. He saw everything. He was dealing in his head with every word he heard from the child. _When the war ends_.

"…do you like it…?" a small voice sounded just next to his ear. Itachi's eyes held a shade of desperation in them, when Fugaku finally turned his head to look at him.

"I like it a lot" he let out finally and his lips turned up into an unforced smile. "Thank you, Itachi."

And just then, he was gifted by the most wonderful smile he has ever seen in his life. And when he felt another thin arm surrounding his neck, he put his own large arms around the tiny form of his child and hugged him tightly to his chest.

An unwanted thought crossed his mind. A thought that Itachi was his heir and his legacy… The future of the Uchiha clan. A thought that he had to raise him to be a strong shinobi respected by the village…

"Dad?"

"Hn?" he blinked and raised one hand to Itachi's hair. He tangled his fingers in it.

"I missed you."

Yeah. He would worry about turning his son into a tough ninja later.


	3. Same life old life

* * *

"Thus, in my opinion this is the right moment for you to start the Ninja Academy" Fugaku said, his black eyes observing the six-years-old, who was sitting in front of him. "I have no doubts you would manage to meet my expectations, Itachi."

"Hai, tou-san" Itachi nodded, his face relaxed with no shade of uncertainty. "I'll do my best."

"I know you will" Fugagu let himself a slight half-smile. "Classes should not be hard to you. I dare say that you already know much more than what you are going to learn for the following year. Still, I expect you to attend them and pay attention to your teachers. Remember that, as an Uchiha, you represent our clan, and what more – you represent it as the future Uchiha leader. I believe you are already aware of the responsibility you are holding."

"I am. I need to make a good impression. It's crucial for the Uchiha that the villagers trust and value us as a clan."

Fugaku smirked mentally, when he heard his own words cited by his little son.

"That is correct. By the time you…"

"Dinner!" came a singing voice from outside the corridor. Fugaku eyed the door with slight irritation. At the same time he noticed a quick smile on the boy's lips. And then, the irritation was flying away instantly, even though a discontented expression remained on his face.

"Fine" he shook his head. "We should not keep your mother waiting." He nodded for a slight bow he got from Itachi and stood up, moving towards the door. He let his son leave before him. Just after he closed the door to his study, he noticed his wife smiling down to Itachi, who was currently hugging her, beaming at her happily.

"All right, go to the kitchen, Itachi" Mikoto poked his nose with her index finger. "Sasuke is waiting there for you. Make sure he won't break anything by the time I'm there, okay?"

"Okay, mom" and so, he disappeared in the said room, from which after a while came happy bubbling and laughing.

"You just couldn't wait a minute, could you?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it would be a pity if the food cooled down by the time you finish, Fugaku-sama" she snorted cheekily, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Don't call me that" he rolled his eyes, approaching her. "I told you already. It irritates me."

"This is the very reason I do it at all."

"Of course it is" his arms embraced her waist and he pulled her closer to him. Just when his lips were an inch from her own, he turned his face to the left. "You eavesdropped."

"Detective" she mocked softly. "Your speech was getting so sublime that I wanted to make sure Itachi would manage to swallow anything during dinner."

"When did your tongue get this sharp, dear wife?"

"I've always had a sharp tongue. You was just too deeply in love with me to notice."

"So low" he let her go abruptly and walked into the kitchen. Two pairs of black eyes looked at him instantly. He took his place at the low table. A second later Itachi was right next to him, his little hands on his arm and his face bright and happy.

"Tou-san, do you know that Sasuke said my name today?"

"Did he?" Fugaku smiled softly, seeing his enthusiasm. It was the less and less often that Itachi beamed with joy. After he had seen war, when the outskirts of Konoha turned into battlefield, after the Kyuubi attack a year prior… For some time, Fugaku thought that his little bundle of joy was gone. But fortunately, Itachi still could act as a child should act. And he, as his father, as a clan leader with so many businesses to deal with and with his own memories from the Third War… he needed to see him so innocent.

"He did! He said _Iti'i_ , so it wasn't exactly right, but he did say it" Itachi sat properly at the table, smiling to his mother, who was positioning Sasuke next to herself.

"He clearly needs to work on it, though" Fugaku raised his eyebrows, holding back his amusement. "Are you sure that what he wanted to say was truly your name?"

"Yes, it was" Itachi pouted, offended that his father didn't believe him. Fugaku hummed quietly and ruffled his hair. He received a wide smile in return.

"If you say so."

"And he crawls really fast now" the boy continued. "I even raced him today and he almost won."

"You two had a crawling race?" he almost snorted.

"Yeah, we did. In the corridor. Mom was watching and she said that I've almost lost."

"Really?" Fugaku sent a mocking look to his wife, who pretended to be busy with little Sasuke. "I think I will have to ask her to tell me some details later."

"And I was practicing shuriken-jutsu today. I finally managed to throw three at once! Can I show you, tou-san?"

"I will be happy to see it after dinner. Good job, Itachi."

"Arigato" he took sticks from the table and started to eat. Fugaku did the same.

The evening turned out to be the usual one. They spent it together, sitting on the terrace. Itachi was performing his newly reached skills to his father and he smiled back and congratulated him, telling him he was proud. Then, Itachi was sitting next to his little brother, observing him carefully and playing peacefully with him, unaware that his father considered him to be an amazing big brother to Sasuke. Unaware that Uchiha Fugaku enjoyed such moments the most, because he was grateful that after all those years full of pain, killing and staying away from his family, he could come back home for good, and that in the evenings he was finally free from all his obligations, just for a moment.

Itachi wouldn't know all of this. He was six after all, but Fugaku hoped that one day Itachi would understand him. That he would understand why he had to be so formal every time he entered his father's study. He would understand that it was necessary for him to learn how to function in a twisted world they lived in. Itachi was to be the Uchiha leader. Maybe the head of the Police Force. His future was marked with many expectations that would be hard to meet… So Fugaku had to prepare his son for it.

"I think someone is falling asleep" Mikoto murmured ruffing Itachi's hair. "It's bed time, it seems."

"U-huh" Itachi nodded sleepily and stood up, trying to hide a yawn.

"Go brush your teeth and I'll cuddle you to sleep later" she caressed his cheek with her finger. Itachi smiled and disappeared inside the house with no more word. Meanwhile Mikoto picked up sleepy Sasuke from the blanked and hugged him to her chest. The baby smiled, seeing his mother's face, but was visibly wandering away.

"Is this true what Itachi said?" Fugaku looked at him. "It's quite early for him to speak."

"Not sure" she shrugged. "But he sometimes let out something like 'mama', when he wants me to come to him. Well, it isn't a 'mama', but he has some specific sound he makes when he wants me to look at him. And I would say that this _Iti'I_ today was a very imperative one" she smirked. "Itachi needed to go to the toilet and Sasuke wasn't too interested in waiting for him any longer."

"I see."

No, he didn't really. He was spending awfully little time with Sasuke, to be honest. He tried to give most of his free time to Itachi, who needed him far more than Sasuke did at the moment. Itachi was six, one step from starting his official shinobi training and what's more, he needed to learn many things about his clan, which Fugaku was teaching him himself.

But what's the most important, Itachi had been deprived of his father's presence for… well, the majority of life he remembered. Fugaku just _had to_ make it up to him for all those years he missed.

"He's done with his teeth" Mikoto said suddenly.

"You know I don't hear from here."

"I said he's done."

"…so?"

"SO someone has to cuddle him" she sighed.

"He's six, Mikoto, I'm sure he can just-"

"Uchiha Fugaku."

"Look, I am not heartless, but Itachi needs to grow up one day. And making him go to bed alone is no trauma. If you want to cuddle him, then go, but you are his mother, it's different."

"I see Fugaku-sama is taking over you quite quickly" she snorted. And he heard a bitter tone in her voice.

"Gods, we're not arguing about something like this, just give me Sasuke and-"

"We will argue about it if I only want to, and I'm not giving you Sasuke. You're getting up and going to Itachi. He asked me today if you are unhappy about something he has done, because you stopped hugging him."

"…he did?"

"He's a child, Fu. He needs a father, not a clan leader. You'll have thousands of opportunities to harden him in the future, so leave it for later. I don't even know why I have to tell you all of this, you should know better. You are distancing yourself from him."

"I don't intend to distance myself-"

"I figured" she murmured. "That's why I'm telling you to go to him now."

"But…" he almost said that she didn't understand. That he meant well. That she of all people should know what Itachi meant to him, but nothing came out. Those words Itachi had said to Mikoto… irritated him. "Fine" he mumbled, leaving his wife on the porch. So _fine_ , he will cuddle him. He will.

What a big deal, really.

Apparently, slightly bigger that he had thought. He understood this when he entered Itachi's room and got a very surprised look from his son.

"Where is mom?" Itachi asked.

"On the porch with your brother. She send me to you" he said evenly.

"Oh" was everything he got in return.

"Do you want me to call her or is it fine for me to say a goodnight to you?" he asked, more gently this time.

"No, it's fine" Itachi said quickly. "It's just… Mom always does it. That's why I asked."

 _No, she does not ALWAYS do it_ Fugaku growled internally. _She was doing this only for two-three months now._

With no word, he approached Itachi's bed and lifted the blanket, letting the boy lie down on the mattress. He covered him meticulously, trying to ignore the tension that started to embrace them both.

"Are you going to the police station tomorrow?" Itachi asked suddenly.

"No, I'm going to work at home."

"Really? I thought you'd go to the station…"

_I thought so too._

"I will only have to bring some documents from there in the morning."

"Yay."

"Yay?"

"I mean… I'm happy you'll be home tomorrow, tou-san. Even if you'll have to work."

"I'm happy about it too" he admitted, feeling actually glad about his sudden decision. "Maybe you'd like to go with me in the morning?"

"Can I?"

"Of course."

"Yay… um, I mean-"

"Yay, indeed" Fugaku smirked, ruffing his soft hair. "I will wake you at six thirty then. So you better sleep well or else you will be tired all day tomorrow."

"Okay" Fugaku watched as Itachi hugged his arm and closed his eyes. "Oyasumi, dad."

"Aa. Oyasumi" he caressed his head for the last time and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

And when he lay down next to his wife some minutes later, he pulled her close to him, holding her with his strong arms almost desperately.

"You're welcome" she only whispered. And that was everything that was said this night.


	4. A chitchat in the time of suspense

* * *

Uchiha Fugaku was a man of few words and little tolerance for stupidity. A well-known hero of Konohagakure, one of the main reasons the Village Hidden in the Leaves still existed and developed after everything that happened during the Third Shinobi War. A leader of the oldest and the biggest clan among all shinobi villages, a descendant of Uchiha Madara himself, a wielder of sharingan in its mangekyo form. His skills he worked on so hard for all the years in his life, rivaled those of the Five Kages. When he appeared in public, his face stern, his arms large, his fists clenched, people eyed him with respect and a bit of fear.

Little did they know that in fact the chief of the Police Force wasn't such a serious and emotionless man. He was one that kissed his wife on her temple when he came back from the station and smiled at her when she pretended she was too busy with dinner to even look at him. One that held back the Uchiha elders from making irrational moves towards the Hokage. One that loved the calm of his own house in the evening, when he could open the walls of his study and watch the orange sky, smirking at his sons' voices that reached him from inside the house. Finally one that took care of the orphaned children of his clan, trying despite everything to ensure decent living conditions for each of them, making efforts to convince their closest relatives to consider taking guardianship of them, because really, if something could make Uchiha Fugaku's heart melt, it was a suffering child.

He had a conversation with the Sandaime earlier this day. But this time it didn't concern the clan. No regrets manifested themselves, no arguments occurred. It was a conversations between two fathers, with a bottle of sake, empty at the end. Fugaku may have rolled his eyes many times when he read Sarutobi's decisions concerning his clan, but even he had to admit that the Third Hokage was a good man with a huge life experience.

Itachi came back from his first genin mission. He came back alone. His two teammates and his sensei had been killed and he had to leave their corpses behind to get back to the village. A jonin was sent to the main Uchiha household at the time of noon and Mikoto, leading little Sasuke by his hand, rushed to the Hokage Tower to pick up her elder son.

It's been a week already. Itachi smiled and played with Sasuke during the day, and woke up and cried at night. Not that he would admit it to his father, but dear gods, Fugaku WAS his father and he could hear his son's crying. Mikoto got up at the first two nights, but Itachi asked her not to. Instead he moved into Sasuke's bedroom and slept hugging his little brother. The tears stopped, even if the nightmares didn't.

Along with the sadness, some tension entered the household and put the members of the loving family apart.

Itachi was scared and sad, and no cute smile could deceive his parents.

Sasuke was watching his big brother with those huge black eyes of his and, to hell with his young age, he could see something wasn't right, but Itachi smiled at him when he smiled at Itachi. So he smiled more.

Mikoto, always perfect, found a balance between giving his son too much attention that he didn't want, and too little attention that would only worsen his state. She engaged Itachi in everyday activities like back then when he still wasn't an Academy student. Her face stayed calm, her words actual and limited, and any sign of the amount of effort it costed her hidden safely inside of her, like she was taught.

He knew that calm face all too well. She was angry with him.

At first he thought that she just DIDN'T get it, because she was a mother, overprotective and too loving. It took him five minutes and less than three documents signed with his name to realize that damn, how stupid he was to underestimate his wife's capacity of handling such situations. After all the shit of a life he had back at her parents' house, after being an Uchiha prodigy, a jonin at a young age, an ANBU for a while, he, Uchiha Fugaku, dared doubt her capacity to find a right way to deal with such an experience of her own son.

He was such an idiot.

Yes, she was mad at him. Because unlike her, he wasn't able to find the golden mean between supporting his son and forcing him to adapt to the circumstances. Well, happens, right? Not everybody is so proficient with such things. It's just that of the two possible choices, he chose the second one.

He pretended nothing happened. At couldn't sleep at night.

And Itachi played along. He smiled and didn't cause any problems. What a perfect son he was.

Sarutobi knew what Fugaku went through as Itachi's father, so he suggested that they talk about it a bit. Fugaku was sceptic for a short while, but remembering great conversations his own team once had with the Professor back when they were teenagers, he agreed. No politics were mentioned and the Uchiha leader got an impression that Sarutobi enjoyed such moments much more than leading the village.

He felt better now, even though he had hardly explain anything to the Sandaime. Everything that needed to be mentioned went unsaid. Now the time came to make Itachi feel better as well.

…how?

"Daddy?"

He had no idea when Sasuke, already in his PJ's, appeared on the porch, but he stood there and was watching his father closely. Not for the first time Fugaku wondered what those eyes would see in the future, those two big black eyes, much more attentive that Itachi's had been when he was Sasuke's age. It worried him. Some Uchiha that already knew his little son disregarded him somehow, assured by Itachi's talents and skills. His youngest would have a tough life in this clan and he hated people for it.

"What is it, Sasuke?"

"Mommy went to see Haruka-san."

"Did she say when she would be back?"

"No… Only to tell you."

Sending a messenger to him instead of opening the kitchen window. What a manifest way to show her irritation towards him. And to make him talk to Sasuke… or to make Sasuke talk to him.

Yeah. Such a great father he was, once again. Not only did his older son suffered because he didn't give him the comfort he needed, but he also intimidated his younger one.

"I see" he mumbled. He padded the wooden floor next to him. "Mind telling me about what you did today, Sasuke?" he asked with the warmest smile he managed to produce. Luckily it was enough to convince the boy to sit down.

"I went shopping with mommy and nii-san."

"What did you buy?"

"Um… We bought tomatoes."

Of course they did buy tomatoes. Fugaku snorted discretely, watching his boy with amusement.

"Have you eaten them all already?"

"No… We bought real many tomatoes…"

"Really many."

"Really many, and nii-san said that we needed to save some for tomorrow" Sasuke was swinging his legs like a child does, watching something in the garden. "Dad, do you like tomatoes?"

"Well, I think I do. Why do you ask?"

"Cause mom always says that you like them as much as I do… but I never saw you eat any… so I wanted to ask."

He would talk to Mikoto about it later.

"Your mother is right, I like tomatoes, but I don't eat them as often as you do."

"Why not?"

To hell with all those children's innocent questions…

"Because I like many other fruits as well, and eating tomatoes all the time would be boring."

"Why would it be?"

"Aren't you ever bored with tomatoes?"

"No."

"Well… maybe you like it even more than I do then" he smirked.

"Oh."

Silence became annoying after a few moments, but Fugaku, despite his efforts, couldn't find a good topic for a conversation with his little son.

"Why…" Sasuke started unexpectedly "Why is nii-san sad?"

"Because… something bad happened when he was away from home."

"But what happened?"

"What did your brother tell you?"

"He said that I'm too little to know" Sasuke pouted in a cute way.

"He was right, you see" Fugaku's hand somehow found its way to Sasuke's head. He caressed his soft hair, happy that the boy finally looked at him.

"But he will tell me when I'm big?"

"Probably."

"Oh… okay" he thought for a moment, holding his father's hand that stopped on his shoulder. "But I want to help him."

"I know, Sasuke. I would like to help him too, but it will be difficult-"

"But… I will try hard, even if it's difficult."

Cutness overload (because don't you dare imply anything about the Uchiha leader, but to Fugaku, there was no cuter child in this village than Sasuke ever, mind you, and yes, that includes Itachi), and all Fugaku could do was squeezing his son's little arm.

"I'm sure that for Itachi it's enough if you are with him and smile" he assured.

"It is?"

"Yes."

"Okay…"

Fugaku enjoyed every second of the five minutes during which his little son sat closer to him and leaned against his side, allowing his father to hug him like he hardly ever did. When the five minutes passed, Fugaku furrowed his brows slightly, surprised with Sasuke's peace. Only when he glanced at the little figure did he realize that his little boy fell asleep.

As delicately as he could, he lifted him from the porch and carried him into the house, planning to put him into his bed. But when he was passing by Itachi's open doors, he noticed his eldest sleeping innocently on his mattress, his blanked under him.

He didn't want Itachi to cry again. He put Sasuke next to his big brother and covered them both with the blanket he brought from Sasuke's room. He let Itachi's hair down and allowed himself to tangle his fingers in them. Slowly, a small hand touched his own – covered with scars and hardened by wars.

"I thought you were asleep" Fugaku mumbled.

"I was" Itachi put his father's hand on his neck. "Can I… not wash my teeth today?"

"If it's just today then I think it's fine" he whispered.

"Arigato."

Itachi was almost eight now and Fugaku rarely ever hugged him openly, aware of the role that awaited his son in the future. Many talked about his boy quickly gaining skills of chuunin level. Maybe he would take the exams in near future and make everybody proud once again. If he did, his childhood would be over. Forever.

But once in a while he remembered that Itachi was still a child, his rank be damned. Children his age played tag during breaks at school. They caught frogs near the lake and grasshoppers in the park. They cried when their parents told them off, or pouted while being told to eat broccoli. Fugaku dreamed about the world where he could spoil his children, a world of no obligations, no clans, even no shinobi dangers. Only then was he fine with lying with his son's back pressed against him, with his finger's clenched by little hands.

He was lucky that he had a considerate wife, who woke him up the next morning, early enough for him to get ready to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Please, let me know what you think so far:)


	5. What I did not wish for

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, something for FugaMiko fans;)

* * *

Smoke of the white cigarette floated in the air of the silent Uchiha garden. It was hardly visible in the weak moonlight, but the smell revealed itself for each one who appeared on the porch.

Fugaku knew cigarettes were noxious for lungs, but he didn't care. Not at the moment. He needed to calm down and gather his thoughts.

"You'll drop dead soon if you smoke as many every evening" he heard a silent voice coming from behind him. He would have flinched at her sudden appearance, but he got used to it long ago. She emerged from the air and faded away unnoticed ever since he has known her.

"Whatever" was his smart answer for her statement. Mikoto sat at the edge of the porch next to him.

"Stop worrying so much" she whispered. "He will be fine, you'll see. He is coming back tomorrow."

"Only to go somewhere else the day after tomorrow" he sighed, letting the smoke out of his lungs. "And he'll come back. And go away. Again and again."

"Are you depressed?"

"I guess."

"Why are you so worried? Don't you believe in your son this time? Do you think he lacks skills to complete those missions? Answer me" she added, when he didn't open his mouth.

"I do believe his skills, but…"

"But?"

"I would rather he was never forced to do such things" Fugaku took one more cigarette out from the small box. "Not now, at the young age of eleven. Not ever."

"Fugaku…"

"My eleven-years-old son has been sent away from home to assassinate some Cloud shinobi."

"We are shinobi, Fu. Killing is our job."

"It wasn't my job when I was eleven."

"Back then it wasn't mine either. But I eventually grew up to become an assassin. At fourteen. I know how it is."

"Aren't you worried of how it could affect him then?"

"I don't recall Itachi having any problem with joining the ANBU. I would even say he was… enthusiastic."

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

"What exactly?"

"I feel like we switched roles" he inhaled the smoke. "I'm worried about my little boy and you are sure he'll be fine no matter the circumstances."

Mikoto watched the flowers in silence for some moments, thinking about his words.

"So you think I should be more worried?"

"I'm not going to tell you how you should feel, Mikoto. I am merely surprised that you are at peace when Itachi becomes an ANBU at this age. I was sure you would fight the elders for him, yet you only talked to Itachi and approved instantly. It's not like you."

"Well… I agree, it's not like me. But you're acting strange yourself. For years you pushed him forward, tried to harden him and when the time comes for Itachi to be promoted…"

"He became a hired killer. It's no promotion."

They didn't speak for minutes. Mikoto took out one cigarette from the box and smoked in silence along with him.

"I didn't feel bad about killing on order" she let out suddenly. "I didn't think much about it. Ever. I served the village. I served the people that were responsible for Konoha citizens' safety. There were people who meant harm to my home and my family. So I didn't let them. I have no regrets. I knew my skills were somehow exceptional, that not everybody would achieve my level. I was one of few that were able to do dirty work. It better be me than somebody who would have a problem with slitting throats."

"You want the same for Itachi?" Fugaku almost whispered. "How do you know if he will be all right with this burden? You want him to ignore humans' pain and death? Not to care about life?"

"Who said I didn't care about life?"

"It's obvious after what you have just said."

"Are you mad at me? Disgusted?"

"No. I'm… surprised."

"You are disappointed."

Yes, he was. And uneasy, too.

"You yourself killed hundreds, Fugaku."

"I fought in a war, it's different."

"How is it different?"

"I don't think it's necessary to talk to you about the nature of ANBU missions, Mikoto."

"Fair enough" she smirked.

"Killing grown up shinobi who are a threat to the village is one thing. Killing powerless civilians, who are an economical threat, slaying their families and little children, is another."

"He isn't doing such things yet."

"He will. Next year."

"We will worry about it next year, then" she shrugged, exhaling the smoke. "It's not that you could take him from ANBU any moment you wanted. Our respectful elders wouldn't let you."

"Fools."

"Let Itachi be for now" he felt her warm hand squeezing his own. And her body leaning against his back. Her lips kissing his cheek lightly.

"I'm worried" he mumbled.

"Tell him this."

No. He would never tell Itachi. For a sensitive child like him it would be a sign that something was wrong. That he, his father, didn't approve of something he did. He would only make him confused. But it didn't change the fact that he was worried about Itachi and if he could, he would take him away from ANBU _now_. But Mikoto was right, it wasn't his decision. He may be a clan leader, but his power wasn't absolute. He couldn't make decisions concerning the clan on his own and Itachi's promotion was not a private family matter.

"I'm afraid of losing him" he spoke, surprised to hear his own words. "He is and always will be a shinobi and he has always been too sensitive for it. But despite all my efforts to harden him… I can't imagine him losing his tenderness. I don't want him to lose it."

"I feel the same, Fu. But our son grew up too soon. There is little that you can do now. You don't own him. The clan does."

He kissed her hand, tangling his fingers with her own, thinking about her words. He felt his heart skipping a beat in his chest.

"What is it?"

He would like to know. He sighed slowly, letting go of her hand. Mikoto went back to the house, leaving him with his thoughts.

He never believed in hunches, but it didn't require a genius to predict how it may end. The Uchiha were restless. The clan elders predicated that Konoha was plotting against them. Some incidents happened on the streets, people were hostile towards the members of his clan. He could feel the tension during clan meetings.

They were scared. And he was a bit, too. Ever since the Kyuubi attack, their relations with the village got worse. And he even understood his clan wanted to use Itachi as a defense.

But he couldn't forgive them.


	6. Abandoned apology

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, the last chapter. Enjoy:)

* * *

What time was it? Well, it was _late_ , but that's pretty much all he knew. That's why the voices he heard the moment he closed the entrance door startled him a bit.

They were coming from the kitchen, so he slowly directed his steps towards the very room where the remnants of what they had called once _family life_ still were taking place – now, in the dark reality they were forced to live in.

If they noticed his presence, he wasn't sure. It's not that he made any effort to hide from them, but… they didn't seem to register the newcomer. He stopped, furrowing his brows. If they saw him, their intimate moment would be over and this was something he didn't want to happen. They needed it right now, moments of love, affection, trust… Who knew when they would end. For good.

He heard the cracks of the wooden kitchen floor and only then did he decide to reveal himself. Mikoto stood next to the stove and glanced over her shoulder when he leaned against the doorframe. He hardly noticed a shadow of her smile, as he focused on his firstborn sitting at the table… eating chocolate, one piece after another. Not even making a move to look at him.

"You're back" he stated, watching the teenager attentively.

"Hai" he answered, but it sounded more like a mumble. Nothing changed in his position.

"Here you have dinner, Fugaku" Mikoto, as if oblivious to the arising tension, approached him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. " Are you going to the station tomorrow in the morning?"

"No."

"All right. I'm waiting for you. Oyasumi, 'tachi" she stroked the boy's hair while passing by him and disappeared in the corridor a moment later. Leaving them alone.

Fugaku helped himself with the food, wondering at the same time, what to do next. He was slightly surprised that Itachi didn't leave the room by now… Not that he minded. He hardly saw him these days, and if he did, it was precisely for some clan matter. He didn't try to deprive Itachi of his presence. No, in fact, it was the exact opposite. His son avoided him and it hurt his father… But Fugaku understood. He would avoid himself too if he was on Itachi's place.

So when he sat at the table in opposite to the thirteen-years-old boy, he was surprised once again when he didn't get any reaction from him. One minute passed, then one more, and another one. Nothing. Itachi emptied one chocolate pack… and opened the next one.

"Itachi."

He saw it. He saw him flinching. Just for a millisecond, but he did. Fugaku's heart missed a beat at his son's nonverbal reaction.

"Hai?"

"You're going to upset your stomach if you eat too much of it."

He didn't get any response. The boy didn't stop his action and a moment later he put another piece of chocolate in his mouth. Fugaku decided not to comment on that. Itachi was big enough to decide how much chocolate he could eat.

But something was off. Well, everything has been off for a year now, but it was something new.

"Aren't you tired?" Fugaku tried to ignore another flinch he noticed. "It's pretty late, you should be sleeping."

"I guess."

"You guess" he murmured, eating slowly. "Haven't you just come back from a mission?"

"Kind of."

"Go to bed."

"You want me out of this room?"

It would be easier to Fugaku if his son at least glanced at him. But all Itachi focused his eyes on was the chocolate.

"That's not what I meant-"

"Well, do you?"

He sat with his mouth half open, debating what to say, when his son devoured this sweet little thing he liked so much.

"I'll go to my room" the teenager mumbled, standing up. He slowly opened a closet and put the rest of the chocolate inside. Fugaku put down his chopsticks and wiped his eyes with one hand. What should he do now?

"Don't go if you're not tired" he uttered wearily.

"It's fi-"

"Damn it, Itachi, just seat back at the table and eat that fucking chocolate" Fugaku hissed through clenched teeth.

Wrong move. His son froze for some seconds and tensed visibly, as if waiting for a strike. Fugaku felt an urge to punch the wall, scream or do anything that could help him get rid of the frustration that overcame him. He tasted blood from his bitten lip. No. This time he would finally do it right. Itachi hardly moved, so he stood up and approached the boy with slow steps. After a short moment of hesitation, he put a hand on his arm and squeezed it firmly. He wanted to apologize… But he couldn't. Uchiha Fugaku never apologized to anyone. He would make his mistakes up to others, especially his family, but a simple _I'm sorry_ just died in his throat each and every time.

"Tou-san" Itachi almost whispered, interrupting his thoughts. "What am I to you?"

Fugaku swallowed hard. It's been a while since they talked like this. About _them_ , not about the Uchiha, the ANBU, Konoha… He almost forgot how it was. He forgot that Itachi was not always proper and formal, wearing a blank face and sitting with his back straight.

"You're my son" he stated the obvious, but he meant it.

"What does that mean to you?"

 _Everything._ It meant everything. Itachi being his child, his firstborn, his pride and joy. His life.

"What am _I_ to you, Itachi?" he asked instead with a voice as stable as he could manage. Itachi kept silent, so he squeezed his arm harder.

"I… I am not s-sure anymore" to hear his son stuttering while answering his question… No, it didn't sit well with him.

"I can imagine it may be hard to define in current situation" he said quietly. "But it's all right. I'm sure one day you'll just know."

"I want to know now" the boy mumbled.

"I understand… but sometimes you just have to wait, son" Fugaku put another hand on Itachi's shoulder. "There are things in this world that you can't understand with your intellect alone. Those things… you need to just feel them. It takes time. As strange as it may seem coming from me, I'm sure if you rush and try to take the shorter way… It isn't going to work."

He let go of him, unsure of what to do. So he just grabbed his bowl and continued to eat the delicious food his wife heated up specially for him at this late hour. He leaned against the closet, sparing discreet glances at his son, who clenched his fists around the kitchen countertop, his eyes glued to the sink.

He was not fine.

"What's wrong?" Fugaku asked quietly. Itachi looked thrown of balance. It wasn't about changing the nature of their interaction from a formal one to casual. Something bothered his son, it was as obvious to him as the color of the sky.

"Nothing" the boy answered, but didn't move.

"You realize…"

"Yeah, I know it's even more obvious now."

"Itachi…" he bit his lower lip for a moment. "…it's about Shisui, isn't it?"

Silence answered him. It suggested that Fugaku made the right guess… but for some reason he didn't believe that he did.

"Maybe… maybe it is… a bit" Itachi pressed his lips.

"Do you miss him?"

"Do I _miss him_?" the boy looked at him, stunned. "Why would you… care… if I missed him?"

"I lost many friends in my life, Itachi. Ones that were like brothers to me. There's nothing wrong with mourning people you held dear. And… if you see their death with your own very eyes" Itachi looked at him with his eyes and mouth wide open "then it appears in your head over and over again. You can't stop thinking about them, analyzing what you could have done to prevent their death. Until it occurs to you that rethinking it is pointless. Because all it does is exhaust you. And all of this is perfectly fine as well."

"You knew…?" Itachi looked at him. His face was pale, almost white in the weak light of the old kitchen lamp.

"Of course I did."

"Then why didn't you let the police question me?!"

"Would you like to be interrogated about Shisui's death?"

"You did this just… so I don't have to go through this? What are you, how would they react if…" it couldn't be wetness in Itachi's eyes. Itachi was much too experienced to let emotions control him like this… But Fugaku noticed how his son tried to hide a tear that escaped from his eye.

He put his bowl down next to the sink and crossed his arms, exhaling slowly. He closed his eyes in an attempt to calm his nerves. Shisui may have been one of his very distant.. cousins, but he didn't care about blood ties. Ever since Itachi became genin, the loud Uchiha became a constant in the life of the Uchiha main family. The boy, Itachi's senior of some years, had been orphaned at a young age. For Fugaku it was only natural to help a child – a teenager – who was left alone in this world, with no one in particular to take care of him. By the time Itachi made chuunin, Shisui actually lived with them, and it didn't change until his eighteenth birthday. When the news about his death spread in the compound, everybody lamented over a loss of one of the most promising Uchiha.

But to Fugaku, it was as if he lost a son. It took him a whole day and a sleepless night to get over the first shock and try to live his life as if nothing happened. But he had years of experience. He had time to learn how to cope with a loss.

Itachi didn't. So clan, procedures, world, all be damned. He would never put his child through anything like this. Normally he would never overuse his power, but this time… for once, he did the right thing. He was sure.

How did it matter, anyway. Soon, it would be all over.

He approached his son slowly and stopped in front of him. He didn't hesitate when he raised his hand and tangled his fingers in his hair tied in a loose ponytail. That caught his son attention.

No wonder. It's been years since he allowed himself any kind of physical contact with him, apart from an arm squeeze.

"I didn't tell them because it wouldn't change anything. Nothing good would come out of it."

"You're _wrong_."

"I don't think I am" he shook his head.

"Tou-san, it's going to be a mess."

Here he was: a boy with no mask on his face, with a new tear rolling down his cheek, his eyes down, his throat clenched. He created him with his own very hands, asking for too much and expecting an impossible. Thirteen years ago Fugaku was granted by heavens with an innocent life to cultivate and tend to. And what an amazing life it was.

It only exposed his failure even more. He felt it with every part of his body and soul when it took a huge effort from him to just lean forward and kiss his son's head. He couldn't bring himself to give him a hug that the boy desperately needed, as he has given him none for years. So he put a hand on the back of his child's head and touched Itachi's forehead with his own. Because he understood.

It would be over soon. Sooner than he anticipated. One last time he had to harden him enough. But only one last time.

"It's going to be all right, 'tachi."

_I know we hardly have any time left, son. I know you can't do this anymore, I know I'm asking for too much…_

"We just need to wait a bit longer."

… _I remember what you said. It's not about Shisui, I know. But believe that I think it is…_

"And then you'll see that all ends just fine."

… _Believe me, because if you don't, all of this will be for nothing._

_You will not see me tomorrow in the morning. You will wait until I'm in the kitchen and then you will sneak out of the house. You said your goodbyes today. I made everything in my power to let you see the father you missed, one last time. Tomorrow you will meet the head of your clan and his wife. It's the only option. Only they will let you carry out your order._

"Go to bed. I can see how tired you are" he caressed his cheek with a thumb and walked away. He opened the fridge to put his half-emptied bowl inside.

He froze when he felt a body leaning against his back. He closed his eyes slowly.

He would let him. He would stand still for him. One last time.

Itachi got out of the kitchen five seconds later, leaving him alone. Fugaku closed the fridge and slowly walked in the corridor. He entered his study, hardly sparing a glance at his surrounding, and opened the screens to get to the porch. He jumped down to the grass with bare feet. An old shed in the corner of the garden looked exactly like he remembered it since the morning. But when he climbed up the ladder, there was no sight of his long sword in a black sheath.

He sat on the porch, inhaling the clean air of the night. His hand found its way to the small notebook he always kept in his jounin vest. I the weak light of the moonlight, he meditated for long minutes and scribed some words down with an old pencil. He was drawing the last letter when he felt a body leaning against his side. The dot he pressed to the paper was weak and unsteady.

"Tomorrow" he heard her beautiful voice.

He blinked in confirmation, playing with the small sheet of paper in his fingers. He felt her warm breath against his neck and jaw.

Tomorrow would take everything away. His clan, his family, his shame and failure. His life. He failed his clan.

It would take everything away from Itachi, too. Forever. He failed his son, but he still asked him for more. He crushed the note in his fist

_You don't ever have to forgive me. And whatever you do from here on out, know this… No matter what, I will love you always._

_Dad_

Tomorrow it all starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!
> 
> I'm not sure if this is good. But I think it explains many things I failed to understand about all the Uchiha mess. Sasuke was not the only one left in darkness. Itachi didn't know everything either. He didn't spare Sasuke, exactly like his own father didn't spare him.
> 
> No idea if it's valid. These are just some of my thoughts. Hope you enjoyed the story and I invite you to check my other fanfics:)


End file.
